Luo Bo, due to his martial arts background, knew a little about the four-color kings of "Zhen Qi". However, upon seeing Xiao Zian, Luo Bo couldn't hide his surprise. If Xiao Zian were carrying a basket to the market, Luo Bo would have addressed her as "Auntie." Xiao Zian's skin was sallow, her hair sparse. She was wearing clothes that had been washed many times.
The martial arts instructor had once said that Xiao Zian was a beauty, but Luo Bo found it hard to associate Xiao Zian with the term "beauty."
"Hello, Luo Bo, I've heard so much about you!"
Luo Bo extended his hand, but Xiao Zian didn't shake it. She merely smiled shyly, clutching the hem of her clothes and giving Luo Bo a slight bow. Luo Bo looked at me in surprise, and I could only smile helplessly.
...
Xiao Zian was not adept at socializing. No, that wasn't entirely accurate. To be precise, Xiao Zian's true self was not good at interacting. If she put on makeup, she was like a different person. Not just her appearance, but her voice and even her personality traits would change. I had always suspected that Xiao Zian had multiple personalities, but I wasn't sure.
Recently, Xiao Zian had been interacting frequently with Chang Dachun, and they got along well, even making me feel like a third wheel. Before Luo Bo arrived, I hadn't felt anything amiss. Both were middle-aged people with children, but Luo Bo's questioning gaze made me suddenly realize something. Xiao Zian, this woman, had a girlfriend.
This meant that, from a certain physiological standpoint, it was impossible for her to have any emotional entanglements with Chang Dachun. Of course, this was just my feeling, not a fact. And in reality, Chang Dachun and Xiao Zian hadn't had any kind of relationship either?
...
It was precisely because of this that I suddenly realized a trust crisis was spreading, and it was beyond my control. Although I tried my best to tell everyone that I trusted each of them, even if they had different directions, the information Luo Bo provided suddenly made me suspect Xiao Zian.
Psychological hypnosis, yes, that was Teacher Wang Ren's domain. But this didn't mean that psychological hypnosis was Teacher Wang Ren's exclusive skill; others could do it too. Duan Dongyang's split-brain theory was a prime example.
...
"Tang Nan, what are you thinking about?"
My thoughts were a bit scattered, and I couldn't grasp the core logic of this matter. Too much distracting information flooded my mind, and I had zoned out. Luo Bo's reminder snapped me back, and I smiled awkwardly. "Perhaps if we share resources, it would be helpful. The person who hurt Sister Xiao Luo simply wanted to prove that they were controlled by hypnosis when they thought of harming someone. This points to Teacher Wang Ren, but who is Teacher Wang Ren? In our little corner of Beijing, she's the most well-known psychology professor. If she really wanted to kill someone, using hypnosis, wouldn't that be like her own self-incrimination?"
"Regarding this matter, I asked Xiao Luo, and she was the one who made the first move. This blurs the enemy's objective. Whether they wanted to kill Yu Xiao Luo or capture Yu Xiao Luo to threaten us into doing something, the concept becomes unclear. If they truly intended to kill, then I wouldn't suspect Teacher Wang Ren."
Xiao Zian lowered her head, listening, occasionally rubbing the hem of her clothes.
"Teacher Xiao, what are your thoughts?"
"Don't, don't call me Teacher Xiao. You can call me Sister An or Madam Xiao. I have no objections. Although I suspected Wang Ren, I think what the leader said is right. A smart schemer wouldn't use their signature skill for such a minor scheme."
I smiled slightly. "How about this, brother-in-law, you go to the Forensic Psychology department and find Teacher Wang Ren directly. Perhaps she has a way to find the hypnotist."
"Alright!"
"And you?"
"I'll start investigating from another angle. Do you have any clues to help me with that?"
"The memories of those three people stopped at the nightclub. They approached a beautiful woman, and then there were no more memories."
Nightclub, beauty... I couldn't help but suspect Xiao Zian again, but I held back. Looking at Chang Dachun, "Big Brother, why don't you accompany me to the nightclub?"
"I won't go. I'm too old. Going to places like that makes me dizzy, and my heart can't take it."
"Madam Xiao, how about you?"
Xiao Zian shook her head. "I'm not familiar with places like that either. Why don't you find someone who is familiar with it to go with you?"
...
At the dinner table, Jiang Kexin said to two other flamboyant young girls, "Sisters, today we are helping this handsome guy experience the nightclub, so no one is allowed to pick up men."
Hearing Jiang Kexin say this, one of the girls laughed and asked, "Then what about tonight? Will the three of us share one husband?"
Jiang Kexin retorted, "Hu Xiaoyu, have you never seen a man? Are you uncomfortable if you don't flirt for a day?"
This girl named Hu Xiaoyu didn't argue with Jiang Kexin. She walked enthusiastically to my side, linked her arm with mine, and said, "Brother Tang, look at her, she has no charm at all. Shall I accompany you tonight?"
Suddenly, I regretted involving Jiang Kexin. What kind of people were these girls?
"Hu Xiaoyu, why don't you go sell yourself!"
Another person pulled Jiang Kexin, hugged her waist, and said, "Xinxin, do you like him? You're pretending to be pure."
"Get lost~"
This girl laughed heartily, let go of Jiang Kexin, and linked my other arm. "Mr. Tang, let's get out of here and go eat."
...
Since it was my first time at a nightclub, Jiang Kexin specifically found two friends to accompany us. One man and three women. This way, it would be more fun and we could remind each other to stay away from boys with ulterior motives.
These two girls, one named Hu Xiaoyu and the other Shi Ying, were both modern girls who frequented nightclubs. Judging by their heavy makeup and shimmering, form-fitting dresses today, they clearly enjoyed that kind of environment.
Compared to the two of them, Jiang Kexin's attire surprised me. She wore long, leg-emphasizing pants and a short, loose top. Compared to her voluptuous sisters, she appeared more androgynous.
Hu Xiaoyu was sharp-tongued, but during dinner, she sat with Jiang Kexin, and they chatted and laughed, playfully cursing each other. Shi Ying, on the other hand, seemed to have other intentions. She would occasionally brush against me with her soft body, as if she had something else in mind.
For the three girls, food wasn't a priority; it just needed to be exquisite. Of course, the real fun would begin at the nightclub. Jiang Kexin had also reminded me that at nightclubs, women were free, and men paid their share. That is, a group of boys and girls go to a nightclub together, the girls get in free, and the boys split the bill. Today, I was the only man, so of course, I would be paying.
Currently, I didn't need to worry about money. And my purpose wasn't to pick up girls at the nightclub. Therefore, I politely avoided Shi Ying's overtures.
Hu Xiaoyu was only loose-lipped; in reality, she was just there to have fun. However, she and her sisters had been together for a long time. So, Hu Xiaoyu saw Shi Ying's intentions and said with a smile, "Sister Ying, he's a married man. Have fun, but don't go too far."
Jiang Kexin, realizing belatedly, chimed in, "Don't hook up with the person next door. Whoever can't resist, there are plenty of men on the dance floor. Let's not trouble Tang Nan today, okay?"
Shi Ying looked a bit displeased. "If you don't want to have fun, why come to a nightclub?"
"To experience it," I interjected with a smile.
"Aren't you afraid of getting lost in it?" Hu Xiaoyu asked me with a smile.
"Isn't it for writing a book? Just a few chapters. Once I write them, I'll forget about it."
"Writing a book? You're a famous writer? What do you write?"
Don't just say the two girls were curious; Jiang Kexin also became a curious baby, looking at me with her big, blinking eyes.
What kind of novel do I write? I'll just make something up. They don't seem like people who read novels. I frowned, thinking of a book title, and suddenly felt a bit of admiration for writers. I couldn't even come up with a title. Fine, I'll just fabricate something.
Just then, Jiang Kexin smiled and said, "Sister Ying is a bookworm. Besides hanging out with us, she spends most of her time reading."
Oh, she's an old bookworm.
"Is that so? The book I write is a bit niche, a suspense novel called 'Disaster Descends in Triple'!'"
As soon as I finished speaking, Shi Ying let out a shriek. Jiang Kexin and Hu Xiaoyu looked at Shi Ying with disdain. Shi Ying grabbed my hand. "You... you are a detective?"